Professionally Speaking

Posted: 12/11/2013 by
Cox Purtell

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string(3430) "“According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.” Jerry Seinfeld
Public Speaking in some form is pretty much essential for most corporate careers.
It’s known in the office that I am not the biggest fan of public speaking, and I’m not the only one. For some reason, public speaking is something that people really fear. Some say public speaking is feared more than death.
When I look at the definition of fear it reads; an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm. I think most people can agree that whilst public speaking is nerve racking and just plain scary, it isn’t going to inflict physical pain. What it really is an anxiety? Anxiety is defined as a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome. The uncertainty is how the speech will go.
So the very first thing you need to realise to conquer this, is that your apprehension about public speaking is an anxiety, not a fear.
Another thing to realise about anxiety is that it will grow with attention. The more you focus on it, the more you think about it, the bigger it becomes and therefore, the worse it gets.
I can definitely admit that I had anxiety about public speaking and luckily, this was addressed. As part of Cox Purtell’s professional development program, our Directors sent my colleague and I on a well-known public speaking course in the city.
I was initially filled me with dread, but it was clear in my mind that this would assist in my personal and professional development.
Session one was definitely intimidating; a room full of tense strangers being told that they would have to give impromptu speeches each and every week for the next 6 on a Monday evening. However, I can hand on heart say that it became fun.
A room of 15 professionals, all in the same boat getting to know about each other and watching each other develop really was a great experience. 6 weeks in, we each said that we had enjoyed the experience, felt more confident, appeared more confident and took an awful lot away from it. I guarantee you that this is not what anyone would have expected on day one.
It doesn’t matter what industry you are in, the ability to communicate your thoughts and to articulate and express yourself in front of people is essential. I wanted to share my own experience to encourage anybody who has any work related anxieties, public speaking or otherwise, that could be holding them back from something they could really excel at.
It is important to remember that your way of thinking can be adjusted. You can and should have control and shape your own career, don’t let your anxieties shape them for you.
Cox Purtell Recruitment Agency Blog / Sydney / Melbourne / Adelaide"
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“According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.” Jerry Seinfeld

Public Speaking in some form is pretty much essential for most corporate careers.

It’s known in the office that I am not the biggest fan of public speaking, and I’m not the only one. For some reason, public speaking is something that people really fear. Some say public speaking is feared more than death.

When I look at the definition of fear it reads; an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm. I think most people can agree that whilst public speaking is nerve racking and just plain scary, it isn’t going to inflict physical pain. What it really is an anxiety? Anxiety is defined as a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome. The uncertainty is how the speech will go.

So the very first thing you need to realise to conquer this, is that your apprehension about public speaking is an anxiety, not a fear.

Another thing to realise about anxiety is that it will grow with attention. The more you focus on it, the more you think about it, the bigger it becomes and therefore, the worse it gets.

I can definitely admit that I had anxiety about public speaking and luckily, this was addressed. As part of Cox Purtell’s professional development program, our Directors sent my colleague and I on a well-known public speaking course in the city.

I was initially filled me with dread, but it was clear in my mind that this would assist in my personal and professional development.

Session one was definitely intimidating; a room full of tense strangers being told that they would have to give impromptu speeches each and every week for the next 6 on a Monday evening. However, I can hand on heart say that it became fun.

A room of 15 professionals, all in the same boat getting to know about each other and watching each other develop really was a great experience. 6 weeks in, we each said that we had enjoyed the experience, felt more confident, appeared more confident and took an awful lot away from it. I guarantee you that this is not what anyone would have expected on day one.

It doesn’t matter what industry you are in, the ability to communicate your thoughts and to articulate and express yourself in front of people is essential. I wanted to share my own experience to encourage anybody who has any work related anxieties, public speaking or otherwise, that could be holding them back from something they could really excel at.

It is important to remember that your way of thinking can be adjusted. You can and should have control and shape your own career, don’t let your anxieties shape them for you.